Concentrator for gold-bearing material.



No. 694,!99. Patented Feb. 25, I902.

e. 6. SALE.

CONGENTRATUR FOR GOLD BEARING MATERIAL.

Application filed Aug. 9, 1900.)

(No Model.)

arrow/ UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE GEOFFREY SALE, OF DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

CONCENTRATOR FOR GOLD-BEARING MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,199, dated February 25, 1902.

7 Application filed August 9, 1900. Serial No. 26,361. (No model.)

. of Great Britain, residing at 37 Moray Place,

in the city of Dunedin, in the British Colony of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concentrators for Gold-Bearing Material, of which the following is a sufficiently full and exact description to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which the said invention appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is torprogide a concentrator for separating gold, especially from black sand on dredges, where space is' an object, with selfacting and self-cleansing moving mattings, which can be altered as to speed of moving without stopping the dredge. These mattings may be placed on ordinary tables; but the tables may be smaller than those with fixed mattings for treatment of any given amount of material and smaller than those which having moving mattings have but imperfect means of cleansing their surfaces. For this purpose a matting of suitable gold-catching surfaced flexible material is stretched between rollers, a portion being deflected into a tub or box containing water by passing under a roller, and it is kept at an even tension by one of the rollers being weighted by balance-weights for this purpose. This matting is slowly revolved upstream or against the flow ot' the wash on the inclined surface of the tables by specially-constructed gearing, receiving power from the dredge machinery and capable of moving the matting quicker or slower at will. At or near the point where the matting enters the water and, in some cases, when it it leaves the water a tapper or beater is arranged to strike the matting sharply to free the surface or interstices from the gold and wash sticking to it and allow same to deposit in the box. Fresh water enters the box from any dredge-pump, the surface being maintained by an overflow. lhe box is emptied in any convenient way, and the contents maybe locked in till wanted.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a plan of same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of a suitable form of cam to allow of a striking blow being given to the matting as it revolves. Fig. 4 is a front view of said detail.

A A is any box,preferably formed as shown, extended at the top end for receiving droppings as matting turns over end top roller, the other end also extended to receive any water droppings and form an overflow at A A is a suitable place for the inflow of clean water.

A is a lid that may belocked for emptying the box.

B B is the endless matting, plush, or such like surface, running around rollers (J C at ends and under 0, for washing and over 0 for tension, which can be adjusted in manner as indicated.

D D is any table placed at the usual angle, and it is obvious that as the matting always presents a clean surface and a fresh face to the wash the tables need not be so large as when the mattings are merely cleaned at intervals.

E is a rod or flapper and is connected to the loose crank E which is lifted at each revolution by the crank E, which is fixed to the shaft of the conical pulley F. This receives power from G, which is attached to the m0- tive power through the other conical pulley F and drives the roller 0 by such as the worm-gearing shown, F. When E has lifted E past the uprightposition, E being loose on the shaft, falls, this action being accelerated by the spring E when 13 receives a smart blow, such as a carpet receives in being beaten. It will be seen by the motion that this is repeated very frequently The belt onthe conical pulleys control the speed by the usual guide-forks. (Not shown.)

I am aware that tables have been invented having movable mattings, some revolving in one direction and some in another; but from the imperfect means adopted to clean the mattings they become clogged and have not been successful in saving gold; but I am not aware that anything approaching my invention is in use.

In this invention any number, size, or suitable materials may be adopted.

VVhatI claim, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is

In combination with a concentrator employing an endless belt, of a beater mechanism for the belt, comprising a frame, a horirod, said flapper being adapted to be raised zontal shaft carried by the frame and adapted at every revolution of the shaft, and a spring to rotate said belt, means to transmit power for returning said flapper, rod and loose to said shaft, a rigid crank mounted upon crank with a sudden jerk to beat the belt, 5 said shaft near the end thereof, a loose crank substantially as described.

mounted upon the end of the shaft and adapted to be tilted at each revolution of the shaft GEORGE GEOFFREY SALE by said rigid crank, a rod connected to said Witnesses:

loose crank, a pivoted flapper connected to HENTON MAOAULAY DAVEY,

10 the under side of the frame and also to the CHARLES EDWIN DAVEY. 

